Poke through

ABSTRACT

A poke through includes a tube assembly having inner and outer tube sections that are slidably telescopically disposed together. A lip protrudes from the outer end of at least one of the tube sections. A cup is selectively and removably disposed on one of the tube sections. The cup has a body plate and a flange. A portion of the lip on the tube section on which the cup is disposed engages the front surface of the body plate. In one embodiment, an adjustable plug has a plurality of selectively removable rings. The adjustable plug fits inside one of the tube sections to seal and insulate the poke through both before and after the poke through is in use.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/991,720 filed Nov. 18, 2004, which claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/523,543 filed Nov. 20, 2003;the disclosures of both are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to poke throughs and, moreparticularly, to poke throughs used to run wires, pipes, and the likethrough a wall in a building.

2. Background Information

There are numerous applications where wires, pipes, and the like must berun through a wall or a foundation in a building or other structure.These applications include electrical cables, phone wires, computerwires, cable TV wires, water pipes, and the like. Another application iswhere air conditioner line sets are run from the outside to, the insideof a structure. For instance, a residential air conditioner includes acondenser unit disposed outside of the house with a heat exchanger andblower disposed on the inside of the house. A refrigerant line must runfrom the condenser outside of the house through a wall, to the heatexchanger, and back through the wall to the condenser. The run from thecondenser to the heat exchanger is insulated with a thick foaminsulation material that keeps the refrigerant in the line cool andprevents condensation. An electrical wire is typically run with thesetwo refrigerant pipes. The combination of the three pipes is typicallyreferred to as a “line set” in the art. These line sets are passedthrough the foundation wall of houses wherein the heat exchanger islocated in the basement of the house. The line set also may be disposeddirectly through the wall of the house when the heat exchanger isdisposed on the first floor of the house in an appliance closet. In bothof these situations, a need exists in the art for a poke through thatallows the line set to pass through the wall or foundation in anaesthetically desirable manner while also preventing openings fromexisting around the line set.

Various poke throughs are known in the art including those disclosed inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,174,126, 4,773,197, 4,607,469, 4,712,342, and4,967,524. Although these devices are known in the art, room remains forimprovement in the art especially where the poke throughs are used withair conditioner line sets. One problem specific to air conditioner linesets is that of maintaining the integrity of thick foam insulation layerthat surrounds one of the line set refrigerant pipes. This insulationshould remain intact after the line set is installed. Unfortunately,many installers tear the insulation when they fish the line set throughthe opening in the wall. Torn insulation exposes the cold refrigerantline to the humid air causing condensation on the cold line. Thecondensation will eventually drip and may cause water damage. Inaddition, torn insulation will lower the efficiency of the airconditioning unit. The art thus desires a poke through for an airconditioner line set that allows the line set with the insulatedrefrigerant line to be pulled through the poke through. The art alsodesires a poke through that is easy to seal after the line set isinstalled. The art further desires a poke through that may be sealedtightly to different outer and inner surfaces of the wall through whichwith it is used. The poke through should also be adjustable in length sothat it may be used with a variety of walls. In addition, the pokethrough should be capable of being used with different types of wallsand wall coverings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a poke through that provides an aestheticallypleasing appearance from the inside and outside of the wall where thepoke through is located.

The invention provides one embodiment of a poke through that may be usedwith an air conditioning line set. A poke through of the inventionprovides rounded corners that allow the air conditioning line set to bepulled through the poke through without tearing the insulation layer.

One embodiment of the invention provides a poke through set that may beselectively configured to be used with walls covered with masonry orsiding. The poke through may be sealed to prevent air and water leaks.An adjustable plug is used to seal the interior of the poke through bothbefore and after the poke through is in use. In one embodiment, theinvention has an adjustable length with at least one finger thatfrictionally maintains the adjusted length.

Another embodiment of the invention provides two spaced fingers thatfrictionally maintain the adjusted length. The location and spacing ofthe fingers allow the poke through to be configured in long and shortconfigurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a building showing an air conditionercondenser unit disposed outside the building with the line set of theair conditioning unit running through a wall of the building.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a first configuration of the poke throughof the invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the second configuration of the pokethrough.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the end caps of the poke throughof the invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the other end cap of the poke through ofthe invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a top view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a section view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a section view taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a section view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 13 showing howa line set may be pulled through the poke through of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing a second configuration ofthe poke through of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a section view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a front elevation view of an alternative cover used with thepoke through of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a section view showing how the alternative cover may beinstalled.

FIG. 20 is a section view showing a third configuration of the pokethrough.

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of thepoke through of the invention.

FIG. 22 is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of the pokethrough installed in a wall wherein the second embodiment of the pokethrough in used in a first configuration.

FIG. 23 is a section view taken along line 23-23 of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of the pokethrough installed in a wall wherein the second embodiment of the pokethrough in used in a second configuration.

FIG. 25 is a side elevation view of the tube of the second embodimentwith a portion depicted in section.

FIG. 26 is an enlarged section view of the encircled portion of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a section view taken along line 27-27 of FIG. 24.

FIG. 28 is a view of an adjustable plug that may be used with either ofthe poke through embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 28A shows alternative slits for the plug.

FIG. 29 is a front view of an alternative mounting plate 30 that may beadjusted for different size tubes.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the poke through of the present invention isdepicted in different configurations in FIGS. 1-20. A firstconfiguration of the poke through of the present invention is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 10 and a second configuration of the pokethrough of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral12 in the drawings. Each configuration 10 and 12 uses a combination ofdifferent parts with many of the parts being used in each configuration10 and 12.

A building 14 that uses poke through 10 is depicted in FIG. 1. Building14 has an air conditioner condenser 16 disposed outside of building 14with an air conditioner line set 18 extending from condenser 16 througha wall 20 of building 14. Poke through 10 is installed in wall 20 sothat the person installing line set 18 may easily install line set 18without tearing the insulation layer of line set 18. Poke through 10also seals the opening in wall 20 to prevent undesirable elements fromentering building 14. Poke through 10 provides a finished appearance tothe area of wall 20 where line set 18 passes through wall 20. Pokethrough 10 may be used with any of a variety of wires, cables, pipes,tubes, and the like.

An exploded view of first configuration 10 is depicted in FIG. 2. Firstpoke through configuration 10 includes a first end assembly 22, a tube24, and a second end assembly 26. The elements of assemblies 22 and 26described below may be integrally formed or formed in individualcomponents. First poke through configuration 10 may also include a plug28 and a mounting plate 30. Second poke through configuration 12 isshown in FIG. 3 wherein a pair of second end assemblies 26 are used withtube 24 to form second configuration 12. Second configuration 12 isshown with a cover 29. The parts of these configurations may beinterchanged such that first configuration 10 may use cover plate 29 andsecond configuration 12 may use plug 28. A third configuration may beassembled from a pair of first end assemblies 22. Either configuration10 or 12 may be positioned horizontally or vertically with respect tothe structure in which it is used. The exemplary drawings show the pokethrough being used with a vertical wall but it may also be used with ahorizontal floor.

The structure of first end assembly 22 is shown in FIGS. 4-7. Second endassembly 26 is shown in FIGS. 8-11 and is similar to first end assembly22 other than the lack of the flange 34. First end assembly 22 has abody that includes a body plate 32 with an outer flange 34 projectingoutwardly and forwardly (forward with respect to the structure in whichit will be used) from the outer perimeter of body plate 32. In thecontext of this application, the body plate is the portion of the bodydisposed inside flange 34. Other portions of the body may extendoutwardly from flange 34. A coupling flange 36 projects rearwardly fromthe rear of body plate 32. Flange 36 is sized to slide over either endof tube 24 to connect first end assembly 22 to tube 24. Flange 36 isspaced from the inner perimeter of the opening defined by body plate 32to form a step 38 having a height equal to the wall thickness of tube 24so that a smooth transition between tube 24 and first end assembly 22 isformed as shown in FIG. 14. Tube 24 may be securely taped to flange 36,adhered to flange 36, or connected with appropriate fasteners. Tube 24may also be connected to flange 36 with a restraining protuberance suchas the snap-fit button 39 shown in FIGS. 13 and 20.

A rounded lip 40 projects forwardly from body plate 32 at the perimeterof the opening defined by body plate 32. Rounded lip 40 provides asmooth, rounded corner over which line set 18 may be pulled when aworker is fishing line set 18 through poke through 10. Lip 40 iscontinuous and is free of sharp edges or corners that would snag theinsulation 42 of line set 18. An open channel 44 is formed behind lip40. Channel 44 may be used to receive an adhesive or sealant 46 thathelps seal the opening through wall 20 and to connect end assembly 22 towall 20. End assembly 22 may also be fastened to wall 20 with mechanicalfasteners 48 such as nails, wood screws, or masonry screws. Body plate32 may define notches or holes 50 that help start fasteners 48.

Outer flange 34 extends substantially perpendicularly to body plate 32and is continuous about the outer perimeter of first end assembly 22.Outer flange 34 has a height that is short enough to not interfere withline set 18 when line set 18 is being pulled through, or pushed through,first end assembly 22. In order to avoid interference, the height ofouter flange 34 is designed such that an acute angle 52 of greater than40 degrees is formed between a longitudinal reference line 53 and areference line 54 as shown in FIG. 13. Reference line 53 is parallel tothe longitudinal axis of flange 36. Reference line 54 is tangent to lip40 and passes through the inner portion of the outer edge of flange 34.However, flange 34 must have a height that is large enough to extendpast siding 56 disposed on the outside of wall 20. As such, outer flange34 has a height of at least one inch or 2.54 cm. When first end assembly22 is installed on a sided wall 20, siding 56 is cut to allow a spacefor first end assembly 22. The opening cut in siding 56 snugly receivesfirst end assembly 22 to provide a desirable appearance and to stopwater from directly attacking wall 20. A bead of sealant 58 may be usedto seal the connection between siding 56 and flange 34.

Plug 28 is used inside first end assembly 22 or second end 26 to helpseal the space around line set 18 as shown in FIGS. 2, 12, and 13. Plug28 is preferably fabricated from an insulating material such as a foamedpolymer. Plug 28 is generally C-shaped including a longitudinal slitthat extends from the interior opening to the exterior opening. The slitallows plug 28 to be opened and stretched around line set 18. Plug 28 isthen slid into place where it is frictionally received within first endassembly 22 or second end 24. Plug 28 spaces line set 18 from ends 22,26and tube 24. FIG. 13 additionally shows that the interior of tube 24 maybe filled with an insulating material such as expanding aerosolinsulation. The insulation may completely surround line set 18 becauseit is supported by plugs 28. One benefit to using plug 28 is a smooth,aesthetically-pleasing appearance to the exterior of poke through 10.The color of plug 28 may also be matched to the color of first endassembly 22 as well as siding 56 in order to help hide poke through 10.Another benefit is that plug 28 may be used to seal poke the throughafter the poke through is installed in a wall but before the lines orwires are run. When such a seal is desired, the interior opening of plug28 may be filled with a removable filler plug such as that shown in FIG.28. FIG. 28 also depicts an alternative plug that is adjustable by theperson installing the plug. Both the exterior and interior dimensionsmay be changed by the user by selectively removing concentric layers.

An alternative cover is shown in FIGS. 3 and 16-19 wherein a cover plate29 is used around line set 18 to cover the opening that is disposedthrough poke through 10 or 12. Cover plate 29 may be used with orwithout plug 28. Cover plate may be configured to fit within the openingdefined by second end assembly 26 or may be configured to fit snuglywithin flange 34 of first end assembly 22. Cover plate 29 may befabricated from a corrugated polymer material and may be colored tomatch second end assembly 26 or first end assembly 22 as well as siding56. Cover plate 29 may be held to second end assembly 26 withappropriate adhesives. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 18, coverplate 29 is designed to cover lip 40 and be connected with fastenersthat extend through cover plate 29 and into second end assembly 26. Inthe embodiment depicted in FIG. 18, cover plate 29 is designed to havean adjustable opening formed by a plurality of fingers 70 that extendbetween a scored line 72 and an inner opening 74. Slits 76 define eachfinger 70 and allow fingers 70 to be bent outwardly to accept a largerdiameter line set as depicted in FIG. 19. Fingers 70 are then tapedaround line set 18 with a piece of tape 78.

Poke through 10 is installed by first connecting first end assembly 22to tube 24 as depicted in FIG. 13. First end assembly 22 and tube 24 arethen inserted into the opening formed in wall 20 such that the inner endof tube 24 is disposed within the room where line set 18 is to pass intobuilding 14. The user then slides mounting plate 30 onto the inner endof tube 24 as shown in FIG. 13. The user then grasps tube 24 with onehand and simultaneously pulls tube 24 inwardly while pushing mountingplate 30 against wall 20. This action forces end assembly 22 and plate30 tightly against wall 20 to form a tight seal. The user then connectsmounting plate 30 securely to the inner end of tube 24 with a fastenerto maintain the tight connection. Mounting plate 30 may be connected tothe inner end of tube 24 with tape or mechanical fasteners. The user maythen fill tube 24 with expanding aerosol insulation to insulate pokethrough 10. The use of insulation prevents heat from escaping throughpoke through 10, prevents water from coming into building 14 throughpoke through 10, and prevents insects and animals from accessingbuilding 14 through poke through 10.

As shown in FIG. 20, tube 24 may be cut to a length that positions endassemblies 22 and 26 directly against wall 20 when tube 24 is connectedto both end assemblies 22 and 26. Such connections may be snap fits suchas buttons 39. In this embodiment, steps 38 of end assemblies 22 and 26are configured to be flush with the outer surface of wall 20 (ordisposed against plates 30) so that tube 24 may be provided in stocklengths equal to common wall thicknesses or may be cut by the user to alength equal to the thickness of the wall measured by the user.

The user then connects second end assembly 26 to the inner end of tube24 as depicted in FIG. 13. The user may then fish line set 18 throughpoke through 10 and place one plug 28 in place. The user may then filltube 24 with the expanding aerosol insulation to seal poke through 10and insulate the opening in wall 20. The user then places a second plug28 at the other end of poke through 10 to complete the installation.

A second embodiment of the poke through of the invention is generallyindicated by the numeral 110 in FIGS. 21-27. An exploded view of pokethrough 110 is depicted in FIG. 21. Poke through 110 includes a firstend assembly 122, an adjustable, telescoping tube assembly 124, and asecond end assembly 126. Tube assembly 124 includes inner and outer tubesections that slide together telescopically so that the length of pokethrough 110 may be adjusted by the person installing the unit. In oneembodiment, the outer tube section of tube assembly 124 includes a pairof longitudinally-spaced protrusions 39 that frictionally engage theinner tube to maintain the relative positions of the tube sections. Apair of protrusions 39 are used so that the tube sections may be cutshorter for used with thin walls. When poke through 110 is used with athin wall, one of the protrusions is cut away and tube assembly 124 isused with a single protrusion. FIG. 26 shows one embodiment wherein theinner end of the inner tube section is tapered. The elements ofassemblies 122 and 126 described below may be integrally formed orformed in individual components. Poke through 110 may also include aplug 28. Poke through 110 may be assembled in at least twoconfigurations as shown in FIGS. 23 and 27. Either configuration may bepositioned horizontally or vertically (or another angle) with respect tothe structure in which it is used. The exemplary drawings show the pokethrough being used with a vertical wall but it may also be used with ahorizontal floor.

The structure of first end assembly 122 is shown in FIGS. 21-23. Secondend assembly 126 is shown in FIGS. 23 and 27. First end assembly 122includes a cup 127 that includes a body plate 32 with an outer flange 34projecting outwardly and forwardly (forward with respect to thestructure in which it will be used) from the outer perimeter of bodyplate 32. Cup 127 is removable from tube assembly 124 so that pokethrough 110 may be used with sided walls as shown in FIG. 23 or masonrywalls as shown in FIG. 27. At least one, but preferably at least threefingers 128, project inwardly from body plate 32. Fingers 128 areconfigured to create a frictional restraining force between cup 127 andtube 124. As described above, end assembly 122 may be fastened to wall20 with adhesives or mechanical fasteners 48 such as nails, wood screws,or masonry screws. Body plate 32 may define notches or holes 50 thathelp start fasteners 48.

A smooth lip 40 projects forwardly and outwardly from the front of tubeassembly 124. Lip 40 provides a smooth, rounded corner over which lineset 18 may be pulled when a worker is fishing line set 18 through pokethrough 110. Lip 40 is continuous and is free of sharp edges or cornersthat would snag the insulation 42 of line set 18. Lip 40 has an outerdiameter larger than the opening defined by body plate 32 so that lip 40firmly seats against the front surface of body plate 32 when cup 127 isslid onto tube assembly 124.

Outer flange 34 extends substantially perpendicularly to body plate 32and is continuous about the outer perimeter of first end assembly 22.Outer flange 34 has a height that is short enough to not interfere withline set 18 when line set 18 is being pulled through, or pushed through,first end assembly 22. In order to avoid interference, the height ofouter flange 34 is designed such that an acute angle 52 of greater than40 degrees is formed between a longitudinal reference line 53 and areference line 54 as shown in FIG. 13. Reference line 53 is parallel tothe longitudinal axis of flange 36. Reference line 54 is tangent to lip40 and passes through the inner portion of the outer edge of flange 34.However, flange 34 must have a height that is large enough to extendpast siding 56 disposed on the outside of wall 20. As such, outer flange34 has a height of at least one inch or 2.54 cm. When first end assembly22 is installed on a sided wall 20, siding 56 is cut to allow a spacefor first end assembly 22. The opening cut in siding 56 snugly receivesfirst end assembly 22 to provide a desirable appearance and to stopwater from directly attacking wall 20. A bead of sealant 58 may be usedto seal the connection between siding 56 and flange 34.

Plug 28 is used inside tube assembly 124 to help seal the space aroundline set 18 as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. Plug 28 is preferablyfabricated from an insulating material such as a foamed polymer. Plug 28is generally C-shaped including a longitudinal slit that extends fromthe interior opening to the exterior opening. The slit allows plug 28 tobe opened and stretched around line set 18 so that it may be installed.Plug 28 is then slid into place where it is frictionally received withintube 124. FIG. 23 shows that the interior of tube assembly 124 may befilled with an insulating material such as expanding aerosol insulation.One benefit to using plug 28 is a smooth, aesthetically-pleasingappearance to the exterior of poke through 10. The color of plug 28 mayalso be matched to the color of first end assembly 22 as well as siding56 in order to help hide poke through 10. Another benefit is that plug28 may be used to seal poke the through after the poke through isinstalled in a wall but before the lines or wires are run. When such aseal is desired, the interior opening of plug 28 may be filled with aremovable filler plug such as that shown in FIG. 28. FIG. 28 alsodepicts a plug having outer and inner dimensions that are adjustable bythe person installing plug 28. Both the exterior and interior dimensionsmay be changed by the user by selectively removing concentric layers.

Second end assembly 126 includes mounting plate 30 and the fastener thatconnects mounting plate 30 to tube assembly 124. Mounting plate 30 mayinclude legs that are bent parallel to and are disposed against theouter surface of tube assembly 124. These legs are then fastened to tubesection 124 with a fastener as discussed above.

An alternative plug 28 is depicted in FIG. 28. The plug configuration ofFIG. 28 allows plug 28 to be sized for different tubes and for differentlines 18 running through the tubes. Plug 28 is preferably at least 1inch thick so that it remains stable and self-supported within the tube.Plug 28 includes a plurality of concentric rings 150 that may beselectively added or removed from plug to configure the plug in adesirable configuration. The center ring is a solid core that is used toplug the poke through before the lines are installed. The body of theplug is formed from a flexible insulating material such as a foamedpolymer. This material allows the plug to be deformed to fit the openingin which it is being inserted. A slit 152 is formed through most of thethickness of the body of plug 28. Slit 152 allows the user toselectively remove rings 150. The integrity of the body of plug 28 ismaintained because slit 152 does not pass all the way through the bodyof body 28. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 28A, slit 152 extendsentirely through the body of plug 28 but not entirely though each ring150.

FIG. 29 depicts an alternative embodiment of mounting plate 30 that maybe selectively configured to work with different sized tubes. Mountingplate 30 may be formed from a sheet of corrugated polymer. At least twoperforated or slit rings 160 and 162 are formed in the sheet of materialsized for large and small tubes. Fingers 128 project inwardly from eachring 160 and 162 for frictional engagement with the outer surface of thetubes.

FIG. 30 shows an alternative configuration for the second embodimentwherein both tube sections have lip 40 projecting from their outer ends.In this configuration, the lip of the inner tube section pressesmounting plate 30 against the inner surface of wall 20.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued. For example, each of the embodiments described above may beprovided in different sizes and shapes as need for a particularapplication. For example, the tube sections described above (round orrectangular) may be sized to work with a standard building block orbrick so that they may be easily installed in masonry walls withoutdifficulty. Moreover, the description and illustration of the inventionis an example and the invention is not limited to the exact detailsshown or described.

1. A poke through, comprising: a tube assembly having inner and outertube sections; each of the inner and outer tube sections having innerand outer ends; the tube assembly having a longitudinal axis; the tubesections slidably disposed together telescopically along thelongitudinal axis; a lip protruding outwardly from the outer end of oneof the tube sections; the lip protruding in a direction transverse tothe longitudinal axis of the tube assembly; a cup disposed on one of thetube sections; the cup having a body plate; the body plate having aninner edge that defines an opening through which a portion of one of thetube sections is disposed; and a portion of the lip on the tube sectionon which the cup is disposed engaging the front surface of the bodyplate.
 2. The poke through of claim 1, wherein the cup includes a flangehaving an outer end; a first reference line being disposed tangent tothe lip and passing through the outer end of the flange; and an acuteangle between the first reference line and a reference line disposedparallel to longitudinal axis being greater than 40 degrees.
 3. The pokethrough of claim 1, further comprising a plug configured to befrictionally received in one of the tube sections.
 4. The poke throughof claim 1, wherein at least one of the tube sections includes aprotuberance that frictionally engages the other of the tube sections.5. A poke through, comprising: a tube having an inner end and an outerend; the tube having a longitudinal axis; an end assembly connected tothe outer end of the tube; the end assembly having a body plate disposedin a reference plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of the tube; the body plate having an inner perimeter that definesand opening in the body plate; the opening in the body plate beingaligned with the tube; the body plate having a front surface and a rearsurface; and the body plate having a rounded lip protruding forwardlyfrom the front surface of the body plate; the rounded lip disposedadjacent the inner perimeter of the body plate such that a member beingpulled through the opening may engage the rounded lip.
 6. The pokethrough of claim 5, wherein one of the tube and end assembly includes aprotuberance that frictionally engages the other of the tube and endassembly.
 7. The poke through of claim 5, wherein the end assembly istaped to the tube.
 8. A poke through, comprising: a tube having an innerend and an outer end; the tube having a longitudinal axis; an endassembly connected to the outer end of the tube; the end assembly havinga body plate disposed in a reference plane substantially perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the tube; the body plate having an innerperimeter that defines and opening in the body plate; the opening in thebody plate being aligned with the tube; the body plate having a frontsurface and a rear surface; the body plate having a rounded lipprotruding forwardly from the front surface of the body plate; therounded lip disposed adjacent the inner perimeter of the body plate; andthe end assembly including a coupling flange that projects rearwardlyfrom the body plate; the coupling flange being offset outwardly from theinner perimeter of the body plate to form a step; the outer end of thetube abutting the step to form a smooth transition between the tube andend assembly.
 9. A poke through, comprising: a tube having an inner endand an outer end; the tube having a longitudinal axis; an end assemblyconnected to the outer end of the tube; the end assembly having a bodyplate disposed in a reference plane substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the tube; the body plate having an inner perimeterthat defines and opening in the body plate; the opening in the bodyplate being aligned with the tube; the body plate having a front surfaceand a rear surface; the body plate having a rounded lip protrudingforwardly from the front surface of the body plate; the rounded lipdisposed adjacent the inner perimeter of the body plate; and the bodyplate including an outer flange extending forwardly from the frontsurface of the body plate; the outer flange being disposed substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube.
 10. The poke through ofclaim 9, wherein the outer flange has an outer end; a first referenceline being disposed tangent to the rounded lip and passing through theouter end of the flange; an acute angle between the first reference lineand a second reference line disposed parallel to longitudinal axis ofthe tube being greater than 40 degrees.
 11. The poke through of claim10, wherein the outer flange is at least one inch long.
 12. The pokethrough of claim 5, further comprising a plug configured to befrictionally received in the tube.
 13. The poke through of claim 12,wherein the size of the plug is adjustable.
 14. A poke through,comprising: a tube having an inner end and an outer end; the tube havinga longitudinal axis; an end assembly connected to the outer end of thetube; and an adjustable plug having a plurality of selectively removablerings; the adjustable plug disposed inside and frictionally-engaging thetube.
 15. The poke through of claim 14, wherein each of the rings ispartially slit to allow a user to separate a ring from the plug.
 16. Thepoke through of claim 15, wherein the plug is formed from a deformablefoamed polymer.
 17. The poke through of claim 14, wherein the endassembly has a body plate and a coupling flange; the body plate beingdisposed in a reference plane substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the tube; the coupling flange being disposedsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube; and thebody plate having a front surface and a rear surface; the couplingflange extending rearwardly away from the rear surface of the body plate18. A poke through, comprising: a tube having an inner end and an outerend; the tube having a longitudinal axis; an end assembly connected tothe outer end of the tube; the end assembly having a body plate and acoupling flange; the body plate being disposed in a reference planesubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube; thecoupling flange being disposed substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the tube; the body plate having a front surface anda rear surface; the coupling flange extending rearwardly away from therear surface of the body plate; the outer end of the tube frictionallyengaging and being disposed inwardly of the coupling flange; the bodyplate having a rounded lip protruding away from the front surface of thebody plate; the rounded lip disposed at the inner perimeter of the bodyplate; the body plate having an outer flange extending forwardly fromthe front surface of the body plate; the outer flange being disposedsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube; and theouter flange having an outer end; a first reference line being disposedtangent to the rounded lip and passing through the outer end of theflange; an acute angle between the first reference line and a referenceline disposed parallel to longitudinal axis of the tube being greaterthan 40 degrees.
 19. The poke through of claim 18, further comprising aplug adapted to be frictionally received in the tube.
 20. The pokethrough of claim 18, wherein the outer flange is at least one inch long.